Sen. LaTonya Johnson

Maddy summarySB 856 creates a new $5 million annual scholarship program (biennially) to support Wisconsin students pursuing climate-related education. It directly affects Wisconsin residents enrolled in eligible higher education institutions - such as UW System campuses, technical colleges, tribal colleges, or private nonprofits - who study fields addressing climate change. The program awards up to $5,000 per academic year, with half of scholarships based on merit and half on financial need. Funding comes from the state's Higher Educational Aids Board budget, and students with unresolved child support liens may qualify only if they provide approved payment agreements.

Maddy summarySB 854 creates a new funding line to support county conservation staff focused on climate change resiliency. It directly affects counties with approved land and water resource management plans, requiring them to request funding for climate-focused personnel in annual grant applications. The bill adds a specific appropriation of $1.8 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year under statute 20.115(7)(f) for "soil and water management; climate change personnel." This establishes a dedicated funding mechanism for counties to hire or retain staff addressing climate impacts, separate from existing conservation program funding.

Maddy summarySB 857 establishes the Energy Innovation Grant Program, allocating $10 million annually for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years. The program is administered by the Office of Energy Innovation within the Public Service Commission to fund energy innovation projects. It creates new statutory references (20.155(3)(e) and 196.379) to formalize the grant program and its funding structure. This bill directly affects the Public Service Commission and its Office of Energy Innovation by providing dedicated funding for energy-related grants. The program does not specify eligible projects or recipients, only creating the funding mechanism and administrative structure.

Maddy summarySB 852 adjusts the state's reimbursement rate for special education and school-age parent programs costs. For the 2025-26 school year, eligible costs will be reimbursed at 42% of total costs; starting in 2026-27, this rate increases to 45%. The bill directly affects school districts and programs that provide special education services and school-age parent programs under specific statutes. This change modifies how state funds are distributed to cover these eligible costs, without altering the total appropriation amount.

Maddy summarySB 855 allocates $200,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to fund two full-time research positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison focused on agriculture and climate change. These positions must use existing vacant research slots, increase the total research staff count, and be assigned to UW-Madison's Division of Extension. The bill modifies the state budget to provide this funding without creating new positions or changing existing law. It directly affects UW-Madison's research staffing structure and extension programs.

Maddy summarySB 858 creates a program allowing public utilities to finance energy improvements (like solar panels or insulation) at residential properties. Utilities would recover these costs over time by adding a periodic surcharge to customers' monthly utility bills for that specific home. The Public Service Commission must develop rules to implement this program. This directly affects homeowners who participate in the program and the utilities offering it, with no upfront costs required from residents.

Maddy summarySB 853 requires local governments (counties, cities, towns, and regional planning commissions) to consider climate change impacts when updating specific plans, including comprehensive plans, community health plans, and hazard mitigation plans. The bill creates a new grant program to cover the full cost of climate planning for these local documents, funded by a dedicated state appropriation. Local governments must apply to the department for grants that finance all expenses related to incorporating climate change considerations into their planning processes. This policy change directly affects how communities develop and update key planning documents, with no new requirements for local funding.

Maddy summarySB 815 prohibits creating and sharing AI-generated content that mimics a real person's face, voice, or other identifying features without their consent, if intended to harass, intimidate, or defraud for financial gain. It establishes a Class A misdemeanor for misuse to coerce or harass, and a Class I felony for profit-driven misuse. The law includes key exceptions: tech companies, news content, and creators who clearly label AI-generated material (e.g., "This content generated by AI" in videos, images, or audio). It directly affects individuals whose likenesses are exploited without consent and sets clear penalties for malicious use of synthetic media.

Maddy summarySB 801 modifies Wisconsin election laws to require early canvassing of absentee ballots by municipal boards in certain jurisdictions, shifting processing from polling places to dedicated canvassing meetings. It sets a strict 8 p.m. election day deadline for delivering absentee ballots to election inspectors or canvassing boards, with specific procedures for military and overseas voters. The bill also establishes penalties for violations, though the exact penalties aren't detailed in the provided text. These changes directly affect municipal clerks, election boards, and voters requesting absentee ballots.

Maddy summarySB 817 creates a state program to provide electronic payment processing equipment and services (including SNAP/food stamp processing) to farmers' markets and farmers selling directly to consumers. It allocates $367,500 biennially for this purpose and increases the healthy food incentive program appropriation by $1 million annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The bill requires payment processors to handle both SNAP transactions and local purchasing incentives funded by third parties. It directly affects farmers' markets, vendors, and SNAP participants by improving access to electronic payments. The program is administered by the Department of Health Services with new staffing support.